August 19, Colombo (LNW): Postal services across the country remain disrupted today (19), as members of the United Postal Trade Union Front extend their island-wide strike, now in its third consecutive day.
The trade union alliance, representing postal workers from various divisions, initiated the industrial action on August 17, pressing for a resolution to a list of 19 long-standing demands concerning working conditions, benefits, and administrative reform.
Chinthaka Bandara, one of the group’s key representatives, stated that the strike is gaining momentum and has received significant backing from across the postal workforce. He affirmed that the action would persist until the authorities take concrete steps to address their concerns.
According to Bandara, union leaders are preparing to formally submit a memorandum to the President today, detailing the workers’ grievances and proposed solutions.
Despite the growing impact on postal operations, Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara played down the scale of the dispute, asserting that the majority of issues raised by the unions have already been resolved.
He urged union leaders to abandon the strike and return to the negotiating table, emphasising the importance of dialogue over disruption.In a separate but equally charged protest, a collective of teachers has been staging a demonstration outside the Presidential Secretariat since yesterday morning.
The group, affiliated with the United Teachers and Parents Organisation, is voicing strong opposition to a recent government decision to scrap a long-standing circular that permitted the enrolment of teachers’ children in local schools.
Indika Abeysinghe, the organisation’s convener, condemned the move as unjust and short-sighted, arguing that it disregards the welfare of educators and their families.
The teachers’ protest carried on through the night, with demonstrators refusing to disperse until their demands are acknowledged.
